2011-12 Olivet Women's Swimming Preview

October 21, 2011

After weeks of training and practice, the Olivet College women's swimming team is ready for the 2011-12 season to get started. This year's team features a nice blend of returning talent and newcomers.

Leading the way is senior Caitlin Lohr (Holland/Hamilton), who earned 2011 All-Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) honors and also competed at the 2011 NCAA Division III National Championships. She holds the second-fastest times in school history in the 50 and 100 freestyle. At the 2011 MIAA Championships, Lohr was the runner-up finisher in the 100, placed fourth in the 50 and fifth in the 100 butterfly.

The other senior on the roster is Jessica Howard (Fort Wayne, Ind./Homestead). She has all-time top five Olivet times in the 200, 500 and 1,000 freestyle. Howard has scored team points in the mile at each of the league championships she has competed in.

Juniors Jana Blodgett (Sturgis), Chelsea Mullins (Macomb/L'Anse Creuse North) and Jennie Plamondon (Flushing) are all returning letterwinners. Blodgett is a freestyler, Mullins is a backstroker and Plamondon can do the backstroke or butterfly. Plamondon swam in the consolation finals of two events at the 2011 MIAA Championships.

Sophomores Jacalyn Cordero (Holland), Camieo Green (Battle Creek/Harper Creek), Alivia Hammond (Byron Center), Britnee Jackson (Sturgis) and Kristin Long (Pemberville, Ohio/Notre Dame Academy) add depth to the roster.

A backstroker, Cordero had a successful rookie season at Olivet, scoring points in two individual events at the MIAA Championships and finishing as high as fourth in the 100 backstroke. She also posted the fifth-fastest times in school history in the 100 and 200 backstroke. Green is a freestyler. Hammond and Jackson are also backstrokers, but Jackson can also do freestyle. Long shattered the school record in the 400 individual medley at the league championships and recorded the second-quickest time in the 200 IM.

Four freshmen, Shana Bush (Alma), Jazmin Johnson (Grand Rapids/Northview), Kaitlin Smith (Port Huron) and Jessie Wood (Ceresco/Harper Creek), are also on the roster. Each have the ability to make an impact on the team.

Olivet opens the 2011-12 season Saturday, Oct. 22, when it participates in the MIAA Relays at the Holland Aquatic Center.